“After leading the conference in scoring last season, I think this recognition is a testament to how much talent that takes in the Big Ten,” Bluem said in a statement. “All the pieces are certainly in place for him to have continued success in his final season as a Buckeye.”

Hegngi started to make his mark at OSU as early as his freshman year.

In 2009, his first season as a Buckeye, Hegngi was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team and started in all 21 of OSU’s games that year.

In fact, Hegngi has started in the last 39 of 41 games for OSU.

The senior is the third Buckeye in history up for the award.

In 2011, Columbus Crew keeper and then-All-Big Ten goalie Matt Lampson was named to the Hermann Trophy Watch List.

Four years earlier, defender Eric Brunner, who was a member of OSU’s NCAA College Cup runner-up squad in 2007, also found himself on the award’s watch list.

The award, which is presented by the Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) in St. Louis, will announce its male and female recipients on Jan. 11.

The Buckeyes open their 2012 campaign at Dayton, Aug. 24 at 7:30 p.m.

Hegngi did not immediately respond to The Lantern‘s request for comment.